Slight miss from Will Shortz

Okay, actually from Patrick Berry, but Shortz edited it. This is from the syndicated New York Times crossword today, the theme clues:

Starch: a cross between ________?
Pimple: a cross between ________?
Hisses: a cross between ________?
Beetles: a cross between ________?

The first three work very well (Starsky and Hutch, pure and simple, hugs and kisses), but the fourth one is less satisfying. The vowel in "beer (and skittles)" isn't the same one as in "beetles" even if it spelled the same.